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NEWS: Union bars’ income falls as VPs asked to refrain from frequenting The Bot
A recent meeting has revealed that Students’ Union bars have seen a 13% fall in income. Sabbatical officers in attendance were also encouraged to show support for the Union by not socialising in The Bot.
BY CATHERINE WYLIE and BRENDAN HUGHES
The issues arose during a Students’ Union Executive Management Committee meeting. As part of ‘Political Activism Week’, students were invited to attend the meeting to see how the committee works. Two students turned up, both of which were Gown reporters.
The income drop was revealed by Acting Chief Executive, Andrew Dodge. Measures to increase revenue were suggested, including the idea of pints being slashed to £1.50 between the hours of 9 and 11pm.
VP Community Laura Hawthorne became emotional, as she abhorrently opposed any suggestion of a drinks price slash.
“I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on,” she said, referring to her ongoing work with residents groups in the Holylands and Stranmillis areas.
SU President Shane Brogan and VP Paul Courtney agreed that ‘a pound a pint’ idea could not be introduced, while Deputy General Manager Dominic Doherty pointed out that extreme drinks promotions in English Unions have been unsuccessful.
Doherty also raised the issue of the VPs frequently socialising in the Botanic Inn. He said that sabbs should be seen to be supporting the Union, and acting as an example to students.
VP Gareth McGreevy disagreed with this notion, claiming that the free time of sabbs should be spent in whatever way they choose.
“We’re not students,” McGreevy declared, prompting Doherty to remind him of his student-elected position in the Union. McGreevy proceeded to clarify that he had only been on one night out this year, which had been spent in the Students’ Union. He also remarked that the VPs have so much work to do that they don’t have time to party.
The Executive Management Committee meets every Wednesday at 12noon in the Anne Maguire room. Students are welcome to attend.
Tags: Andrew dodge, Catherine Wylie, Gareth McGreevey, Gown, newspaper, qub, Queen's, queen's university, shane Brogan, student, The Gown
This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 5:37 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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“NEWS: Union bars’ income falls as VPs asked to refrain from frequenting The Bot”
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Laughable!
Using the work ‘emotional’ in regards to Laura is sexist. Was gareth also emotion or is it because he is a man that he therefore wasnt?
Please explain.
I don’t believe the usage of the word ‘emotional’ is sexist. It is an adjective which can be used for either sex. Laura was described in this way due to the fact that she became visibly emotional about an issue which she appeared to feel very strongly about.
Sorry, but the Sabbs are free to spend their spare time in whatever bar they please. I don’t know any of them personally, but if they want to go to the Bot I’m not gonna hold it against them just because profits in the union have fallen. I think that might have slightly more to do with the recession than where the Sabatical officers socialise.
I totally disagree! I think that so much responsibility comes with their job and they should be ready and willing to adapt! Didn’t they expect a ‘rule’ like that to be enforced? Ok maybe Mc Greevey isn’t a student but he was after all elected by students and should be working for the students! Not separating himself from them!
However I do agree that ‘a pound per pint’ is a terrible idea and would most definitely turn the Union into a free for all!
And the sexist remark is rubbish!!
This is interesting. I do think it looks bad if sabbs are seen to be drunkenly having the craic in the bot. Not due to sales down in the Union, but more so due to that fact that it makes me a have a little less respect for them. It also makes me think that they’ll be hungover the next day and go to work late, which would irritate the the b’jaysus out of me. Also, I love Gareth McGreevy. He entertains me to no end, just the things he says! The sabbs doing so much work that they can’t go out!!!!!
The student union bars are far too expensive, I’ve been told it’s the most expensive union in the UK for alcohol.
Laura Hawthorne should be thinking more about the students she represents and less about resident groups.
The fact is we are students with very little money and our own students union decides for us that we cannot handle cheaper drink.
This is what happens when students elect christian union representatives onto the executive. You get people who don’t drink setting the drink prices.
If you asked every student if they would prefer:
A) Cheaper drink in the student union
or
B) Better relations with ‘community groups’
I have no doubt most people would vote for A, so why won’t the union reflect this. The high drink prices is bad for the unions profit margins and bad for students.
Daniel,
If that’s what Students want then why do they consistently vote for representatives who put good relations with the University’s neighbors as a priority? Why has Ms Hawthorne been elected as VP community two years running?
If you don’t like it vote for something else.
I don’t think the fact that someone is a pioneer would matter in their ability to sort pricing of drinks. I don’t know if Laura drinks or not, but she would obviously have to take into consideration all her work with residents groups. They’d go mental if the drinks prices went down. Imagine the prices went down, and something bad happened in Holylands or wherever…students and union would be in the gutter. I can see the Irish News headline already, and it’s not glowing.
Loving that the clubs and societies night out is in the BOT tommorrow night!! The 3 saabs even managed to negotiate £2 a drink for us all! Wonder what deal they could have got if they had shopped around a bit..maybe hosted it in say…awk, i dunno..maybe the students union?? May have helped them out in this recessionary time!! regardless of location, its great to see the 3 vps supporting all of laura hawthornes hard work with the residents committees..what better way to show solidarity than a drinks promotion! heres hopin the next night outs a quid a drink in rain!! sure its advertised enough outside the union!
Sarah, your comment was rather hilarious! It definitely made me lol!
Why don’t you write for The Gown!?
Or maybe help SU Mag out?!
Hi, ok just a couple of things I would like to comment on. With regards to the use of the word “emotional” this is acurate, I did become emotional but only because I give a crap about what I have been elected to do, but Louise thank you for your input.
Secondly, community relations are not “my” agenda, it is the agenda of the Union, it’s what I was elected to improve and work on and these changes were passed by students union council, so that’s what I am going to do.
Also yes we are a highly priced S.U, one of the highest in the UK. But if you look at the S.U bars in the UK alot are struggling to survive, some have shut down completely and they do not have sustainable profit margins. Any money we make is reinvested back into this building based on what you guys tell us, and if we started pints at a pound I’m afraid it would be a lose lose situation for everyone!
Despite this we still strive to remain competitive and provide a decent service for our students. Any thoughts, comments, whatever come into the Sabbatical office, second floor of the S.U. or call 02890971050. Laura.
“…but only because I give a crap about what I have been elected to do.”
Does some of the sabbs not give a crap?
To Ms Hawthorne,
I think its apparent that the Students appreciate the fact that you do ‘give a crap’ about your work testament to being elected for a second year. Your role in developing community relation should be commended. However, do you feel your work to have positive relations between students and residents is being undermined as 3 of your colleagues organise a drinks promo night in the bot? Would this not imply that the Union Executive isn’t displaying solidarity on the issues you have worked so hard on?
Right… why is everyone constipated?
“and if we started pints at a pound I’m afraid it would be a lose lose situation for everyone!”
I’m afraid I’m guna have to have this one explained to me…clearly this is a win-win situation i.e. we get drunk and vomit all over the lovely union steps and you get my monies to spend it on pointless initiatives!
Viva le beer!
“He also remarked that the VPs have so much work to do that they don’t have time to party.”
SPOTTED Barry Duffy in the Botanic Inn downing sambucca shot number 72 and looking decidedly vomiticious. You know you love me.xoxo Gossip Girl
^^ha genious aye son, my i do miss the craic in belfast
It’s hardly asking too much for the sabbaticals to be seen frequenting the Union bars. Whether they realise it or not, they are opinion shapers and ‘ordinary students’ are bound to think: “If they can’t be bothered to drink in the Speakeasy, then why should I?”